Work-immersion machine with vertically and laterally movable rail section



Aprils, 1952 J. v. DAVIS WORK-IMMERSION MACHINE WITH VERTICALLY AND LATERALLY MOVABLE RAIL SECTION 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 8, 1950 INVENTOR. W/M 1 D4 W5 ATTORNEY April 8, 1952 J. v. DAVIS 2,591,682

WORK-IMMERSION MACHINE WITH VERTICALLY AND LATERALLY MOVABLE RAIL SECTION Filed March 8, 1950 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JOHN M 17/1 V/J April 8, 1952 J. v. DAVIS 2,591,682

WORK-IMMERSION MACHINE WITH VERTICALLY AND LATERALLY MOVABLE RAIL SECTION Filed March 8, 1950 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. Jaw/4 K DA Y S A ril 8, I952 J. v. DAVIS 2,591,682

WORK-IMMERSION MACHINE WITH VERTICALLY AND LATERALLY MOVABLE RAIL SECTION 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 8, 1950 in. II

B BY

INVENTOR. JJ/7'N l/ 2/ W5 /47'7'0//VEX iii A nl 8, 1952 J. v. DAVIS 2,591,682

WORK-IMMERSION MACHINE WITH VERTICALLY I AND LATERALLY MOVABLE RAIL SECTION Filed March 8, 1950 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Ja/l/V K DA W5 BY 4 TOR A/EY Apnl 8, 1952 v, DAVls 2,591,682

WORK-IMMERSION MACHINE WITH VERTICALLY AND LATERALLY MOVABLE RAIL? SECTION 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed March 8, 1950 p 1952 J. v. DAVIS 2,591,682

WORK-IMMERSION MACHINE. WITH VERTICALLY AND LATER'ALLY MOVABLE RAIL SECTION Filed March 8, 1950 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 &

INVEN TOR. Jmw l/ A April 8, 1952 2,591,682

J. V. DAVIS WORK-IMMERSION MACHINE WITH VERTICALLY AND LATERALLY MOVABLE RAIL SECTION Filed March 8, 1950 -8 Sheets-Sheet 8 u- Illu.

Mill Hil 2 INVENTOR. Jo/IN v. .DA ws ATTaRA/ Y.

Patented Apr. 8, 1952 WORK-IMMERSION MACHINE WITH VER- TICALLY AND LATERALLY MOVABLE RAIL SECTION John V..Davis, Detroit, Mich., assignor to .The

Udylite Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application March 8, 1950, Serial No. 148,436

6 Claims. 1

The present invention pertains .to a novel work-immersion machine and particularly .to such a machine for use in the plating industry, although other uses will readily be suggested. The machine is of the general type shown in'my United States Patent No. 2,479,322 of August 16, 1949, to the extent that the work is moved along alined rail sections and one or more of these sections are lifted vertically at times for transfer of the work from one tank to the next.

The principal object is to provide an alternative tank in a series of tanks or receptacles in such a machine, whereby the work may be clipped in the alternative tank to the exclusion of one of the usual tanks which, in a sense, becomes eliminated. For example, it maybe desired to substitute brass plating solution for chromic acid in the usual series, for someof the work without emptying the chromic acid solution.

The substituted solution is contained in an auxiliary tank positioned laterally of the tank containing the solution to be eliminated, in this case the chromic acid. One of the rail sections is adapted to rise over the chromic acidtank, as in the aforementioned patent, and to be moved latterally to a position over the alternative tank when such operation is desired. The rail section is then lowered to dip the work into the alternative tank.

The laterally slidable rail section is suitably mounted on a carriage supported by the rail elevating structure or chassis. The carriage with its rail section is projected and'retracted by an independent timed and controlled means such as a hydraulic cylinder with an automatically operated valve. system.

The invention is fully disclosed by way of ex' ample in the following description and in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the device with certain rail sections in elevated position;

Figure 2 is a top plan view;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view on the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a detailed side elevation on the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a section on the line 66 of Figure 2;

Figure '7 is a section on the line '!-1 of Figure 1;

Figure 8 is a detail side elevation;

Figure 8a isa section on'the line 8a-8a'of of Figure 8;

.umns 'l, 8 and 9 as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 9 is a detail plan view on theline;9- -9 of Figure 1;

Figure 10 is a section on theline Ill-.Hl of Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a section on the line lI-H 10f Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a section on the line [2-12 of Figure 8;

Figure 13 is a detail section in a plane parallel to that of Figure 5;

Figure 14 is a'section on the line [4-414 TOf Figure 13;

Figure 15 is a detail elevation similar to Figure 8,-on the line 5-15 of Figure .1 showing :the laterally movablerail section projected,- and Figure 16 is'a plan view on the line l6.-I.6;:of

Figure 15.

Reference to these views will now be made by use of like characters which are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout.

The machine is built on a base i on WhiCh.iS erected an elongated tank structure 2 consisting preferably of metal'plate. The structurefis. divided by a longitudinal partition 3 and further by a number of suitably spaced partitions 4 forming two parallel rows of compartments v5.

Upon the partition 3 is secured a longitudinal I-beam 6 to support a superstructure :as will presently be described. At the ends and at the center of the beam 6 are mounted vertical col- To the upper ends of the columns are secured angleirons H) on which are mounted horizontal connecting channels H which brace the columns for the load to be carried by them. Actually thereare two pairs of channels, the membersof each pair being joined face to face to form "a box-beam. The beams ll terminate somewhat short of the end column 9 and have vtheiriends joined by a bracket l2 for a purpose that-will presently be described. The members II are then extended somewhat beyond the columniaiby means I3 secured tothe outer lateral surfaces thereof, and the means l3 are further extended horizontally in'the same direction by channels l4 secured to their inner surfaces and also'to the column 9. The members H! are substantially alined with the beams II, and a wider spacing is formed between the members 13.

The bracket l2 serves for the pivotal attach- -ment of the closed ends of a fluid *cylinderl-S of the cylinder carries a crosshead l1, pivotally attached thereto by a horizontal pin [-8. The

ends of the latter ride between spaced horizontal guide rails l9 fastened on the mutually facing surfaces of the channels M. A bracket is mounted on the upper end of the column 9 and carries a sheave 2!. Cables 22 and 23 are fastened to the ends of the crosshead IT. The cable 22 passes over the sheave 2|, and the cable 23 is passed over a pulley 24 mounted at the opposite end of the beam structure H.

The cables 22 and 23 suspend a vertically movable structure comprising an enclosing wall 25 substantially as long as the series of tanks and about as wide. The wall 25 carries a floor consisting of open plates 26 and is braced by diagonal cross-bars 21. Roller frames 28 are secured to the floor and carry rollers 29 riding on three surfaces of the several vertical columns to guide the chassis 25, 26 in its up and down movement.

Transverse supporting bars 38 are secured across the fixed beam 6 and have longitudinal plates 3i secured across their ends for supporting fixed and spaced rail sections 32, with insulation 33 inserted between the parts 31 and 32. The sections 32 are alined along both rows of compartments, and included in the fixed rail construction is a semi-circular connecting piece 34 at each end of the apparatus. The tank structure is open at one end to constitute a loading and unloading station. One of the compartments at this end may be open and may constitute a drying station on the outcoming side of the curved section. Brackets 35 on the bottom of th'e'chassis 25, 25 carry. movable rail sections 36 adapted to enter and fill the spaces between the fixed sections 32 to form a continuous work carrying rail when the chassis is lowered. Current is applied to the rail in any manner well known in the art, and work carriers 3'! are suspended from the several rail sections in any approved manner.

A pair of longitudinal shoes 39 are carried by the bottom of the chassis and support a pair of pusher bars 38 of T-section over the two alined series of rail sections at opposite sides of the partition 3. Pushers 4| straddle the webs of the bars 38 and are pivotally suspended therefrom by pins 40. The pushers engage the carriers 31 to advance them on the rails. The bottom of the slot in the upper portion of each pusher has a portion thereof sloped downward at 48' in the direction or work movement. In this movement the unsloped portion bears against the bottom of the bar 38 as a stop. In the: retracting movement of the pusher bar, presently to be described, the slope 46 permits the pusher to swing upward in passing over the carrier 31 which it is to push on the next forward stroke.

The pusher bars are actuated from a drive or pusher cylinder 42 mounted on the chassis 25, 26 adjacent to and longitudinall of one of the bars. At each end of the chassis is mounted a vertical shaft 43 concentric with the adjacent curved rail section and passing through the bottom of the chassis. 44 attached to partitions 45 carried by the chassis. The shaft 43 nearer the cylinder 42 has a link 46 pivotally connected to the exposed end of the piston rod 41 by a suitable swivel 48. The partition 45 carrying the bearings 44 is formed with an opening 49 to permit passage of the link 46 and the piston rod 41 therethrough. In other respects the assembly at each end of the rail is similar, and only one assembly need be described in detail.

Beneath the bottom of the chassis, the shaft 43 Each shaft is held in suitable bearings carries a pair of fixed arms 56, 5! at a right angle to each other. From the arm 56 a lug 52 extends toward the cylinder 42 and is joined by a link 53 to an ear 54 on the adjacent pusher bar, the link having its ends swiveled to the parts 52 and 54. The forward stroke of the piston rod 41 is such as to swing the link 46 and turn the shaft through an angle of degrees, swinging the arm 50 and pulling the adjacent pusher bar 38 by means of the parts 52, 53.

A lug 55 extending from the arm 5| is joined by a link 56 to an ear 5! extending from the other pusher bar 38, so that the aforementioned motion of the shaft 43 slides the last named bar 38 simultaneously in the direction opposite to that of the first named bar. At the other end of the apparatus, the bar 38 nearer the cylinder 42 is connected to the arm 58 by a link 58. The free ends of the arms 5i), 5! carry pushers 59 that propel the work 90 degrees on the end sections 34 on each 90 degree movement of the shafts 43. The closed end of the cylinder 42 is pivotally mounted to accommodate the arcuate movement of the swivel 48.

The superstructure carries limit switches 60 and 6| at opposite sides of the crosshead I1 and engageable thereby for timed control of the lifting cylinder [5 and the drive cylinder 42 in proper sequence. For the same purpose the partition 45 carries limit switches 62 and 63 engageable by the arms 50 and 5| at the ends of their respective movements.

One Of the vertically movable rail sections, indicated by the numeral 36', is mounted to be moved laterally out of the usual rail system to a position over an alternative tank 65. For example, the section 36' normally lies over a particular tank 66 in the usual series of tanks or compartments, and the alternative tank 65 is laterally opposite the tank 66. The lateral movement I of the section 36' is utilized when, in some operations, it is desired to dip the work in the tank 65 rather than in the tank 66 which contains a difierent solution. As an illustrative case, the tank 66 may contain chromic acid solution while the tank 65 may contain a brass plating solution. To carry the illustration further, it may be desired to plate a certain number of work pieces with brass rather than with chromium at this phase of the operation, and yet the number of such pieces may not be sufiicient to warrant emptying the tank 66 of chromic acid solution and filling it with brass plating solution.

The mechanism for guiding the rail section 36' laterally may take any desired suitable form. The example here illustrated includes a pair of fixed channel members 10 carried by the chassis 25 and facing each other. In each member 10 is slidably mounted another channel II with rollers 12 mounted therein and projecting through the lower flange of the channel H to ride on the lower flange of the channel 10. Over the rear roller 12 is a similar roller 13 spaced slightly therefrom for a purpose that will presently be described. The opposed channels H are joined by one or more bars 15 to form an extension slide or carriage. 4

Another carriage structure 16, which carries the rail section 36', has a pair of lateral flanges 71 that ride on the rollers 12 and extend beneath the rollers I3. In line with the path of the carriage 16 a hydraulic cylinder 18 is suitably supported by the chassis 25. The piston rod 79 thereof is attached to the carriage I6 by a bracket 16 and carries a stop member 8!! inside the cylinder'for engaging the; forward end of the cylinder to limitthe' outward movement' of the carriage. It will, be understood that suitable timed controls for the actuation of the piston rod in both directions are provided.

As shown in Figure 16, the rail section 36' may be longer than the alternative tank 65 to permit transfer of work 011. and on. The rail section could be of the same length as the tank 65, if sufficient for the stated purpose, but a shorter length is not recommended. After the section 36' has been projected laterally as described, the entire chassis is lowered and with it the section 36', thereby dipping the work into the tank 65.

At this time there is no work pusher in operative relation with the section 36'. The pushers may be operated on the remainder of the work while the section 36' is projected and may be ad- J'usted in such a manner as to move no work into the gap left by the section 36'. This adjustment may be made in the spacing of the pushers 4B or by rendering them temporarily inoperative on the approach side of the gap. A timed cam mechanism may be provided for this purpose.

When the work on the section 36' has remained in the tank 65 the desired length of time, the

chassis is raised and the carriage i6 is retracted by operation of the cylinder 18. While the continuous rail system is in the elevated position, the treated work is transferred off the section 36 and other work is transferred to it. The cycle previously described is now repeated.

What I claim is:

1. In a, work-immersion apparatus, a series of bath receptacles, an alined series of spaced rail sections fixedly supported over said receptacles, a chassis movably mounted over said receptacles, timer-controlled means for moving said chassis up and down over said receptacles, a series of spaced rail sections carried by said chassis and adapted to fit in the spaces between the first named sections, in the lower position of the chassis, a laterally slidable carriage carried by said chassis, one of the second named spaced rail sections being mounted on said carriage, timercontrolled means for projecting and retracting said carriage while in the raised position, an alternative receptacle laterally opposite one of the first named receptacles, and positioned to receive work suspended from the last named rail section, and work-advancing means carried by said chassis for moving work on said rail sections.

2. In a work-immersion apparatus, a series of bath receptacles, an alined series of spaced rail sections fixedly supported over said receptacles, a chassis movably mounted over said receptacles, timer-controlled means for moving said chassis up and down over said receptacles, a series of, spaced rail sections carried by said chassis and adapted to fit in the spaces between the first named sections, in the lower position of the chassis, a laterally slidable carriage carried by said chassis, one of the second named spaced rail a chassis movably mcunted'over said receptacles, timer-controlled means for moving said. chassis up and down over said receptacles, aseriesof spaced rail sections carried by said chassis and adapted to fit in the spaces between the first named sections, in the lower position of the chassis, a laterally slidable carriage carried by said chassis, one of the second named spaced rail sections being mounted on said carriage, timercontrolled means for projecting and retracting said carriage while in the raised position, an alternative receptacle laterally opposite one of the first named'receptacles, and positioned to receive work suspended from the last named rail section, slidably mounted pusher bars carried by said chassis, pushers carried by said bars and adapted to engage work on the several rail sections, and timer-controlled means for sliding said bars alternately in opposite directions.

4. In a work-immersion apparatus, a series of bath receptacles, an alined series of spaced rail sections fixedly supported over said receptacles. a chassis movably mounted over said receptacles, timer-controlled means for moving said chassis up and down over said receptacles, a series of spaced rail sections carried by said chassis and adapted to fit in the spaces between the first named sections, in the lower position of the chassis, a laterally slidable carriage carried by said chassis, one of the second named spaced rail sections being mounted on said carriage, a timercontrolled cylinder and piston rod for projecting and retracting said carriage while in the raised position, an alternative receptacle laterally opposite one of the first named receptacles and positioned to receive work suspended from the last named rail section, slidably mounted pusher bars carried by said chassis, pushers carried by said bars and adapted to engage work on the several rail sections, and timer-controlled means for sliding said bars alternately in opposite directions.

5. In a work-immersion apparatus, a series of receptacles, an alined series of spaced rail sections fixedly supported over said receptacles, a chassis movably mounted over said receptacles, timer-controlled means for moving said chassis up and down over said receptacles, a series of spaced rail sections carried by said chassis and adapted to fit in the spaces between the first named sections, in the lower position of the chassis, a laterally slidable carriage carried by said chassis, one of the second named spaced rail sections being mounted on said carriage, timercontrolled means for projecting and retracting said carriage while in the raised position, an alternative receptacle laterally opposite one of the first named receptacles, and positioned to receive work suspended from the last named rail section, slidably mounted pusher bars carried by said chassis, pushers carried by said bars and adapted to engage work on the several rail sections, and timer-controlled means for sliding said bars alternately in opposite directions, certain of said pushers being pivotally mounted to swing over obstructions while moving in the non-pushing direction.

6. In a work-immersion apparatus, a series of bath receptacles, an alined series of spaced rail sections fixedly supported over said receptacles, a chassis movably mounted over said receptacles, timer-controlled means for moving said chassis up and down over said receptacles, a series of spaced rail sections carried by said chassis and adapted to fit in the spaces between the first named sections, in the lower position of the chassis, a laterally slidable carriage carried bi; said chassis, one of the second named spaced rail sections being mounted on said carriage, a timercontrolled cylinder and piston rod for projecting and retracting said carriage while in the raised position, an alternative receptacle laterally opposite one of the first named receptacles and positioned to receive work suspended from the last named rail section, slidably mounted pusher bars carried by said chassis, pushers car- 10 ried by said bars and adapted to engage work on the several rail sections, and timer-controlled means for sliding said bars alternately in opposite directions, certain of said pushers being piv- The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,478,396 Pownall Dec. 25, 1923 2,479,322 Davis Aug. 16, 1949 

